126 MODEL AVIATION
THANK YOU for checking out the
helicopter column. MA’s International Radio
Controlled Helicopter Association (IRCHA)
Jamboree coverage continues here with
some more in-depth information from this
great event.
I was at the field at sunrise each day of
the gathering this year. If you get a chance
to attend the Jamboree, it is a surreal
experience to be out on the flightline at
sunrise.
The warm
summer mornings
generally produce a
dense fog that
covers all of the
low-lying areas.
Seeing helicopters
fly in and out of the
fog as the day’s
first light filters
through is fantastic.
The Scale pilots
were some of the
first to emerge in
the mornings.
Sublimely detailed
helicopters were
wheeled through
the morning dew
and prepared for
their competition
flights.
The Scale Nats
was combined with
the Jamboree this
year, and the
biggest names in
the modern Scale community were there.
Several passionate pilots competed with
machines that were modeled after fullscale
aircraft that they had either worked
on or flown in.
Bob Harris made a return visit to the
gathering with his Hiller OH-23
observation helicopter in the YO BO show
scheme. He flew in the full-scale version
during the Korean War.
One of this helicopter’s jobs was to fly and
record the flight paths of projectiles deployed
by the infantry on the ground. Coordinates
were radioed back to the ground and the
The IRCHA Jamboree—sunrise and beyond
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• 2010 Scale Nats
• Product releases at the
Jamboree
Bob Harris had his scratch-built OH-
23 observation helicopter at the
IRCHA Jamboree. He is 71 years old
and still flies like a kid. Who says you
have to grow up?
Butch Wellmaker and his caller/fiancée, Rosanne Palumbo, discuss
flight strategy. Butch won the Scale Nats with a Sikorsky S-76 that
is modeled after the full-scale helicopter he services for a living.
Sebastian of Compass Models flew this potent Compass 6HV. It uses a 12S Li-Poly
battery setup that produces enough power to light a small city.
The Gaui X5 made a great showing at the
Jamboree. It is smaller than a 600 size but
can perform every maneuver in the book.
A tube-tail drive helps with efficient
battery usage.
12sig4x_00MSTRPG.QXD 10/22/10 8:50 AM Page 126
infantries’ accuracy could be improved.
Bob scratch-built this helicopter. The
clown face was painted on the canopy of the
full-scale aircraft for an Armed Forces Day
event in 1964. Now the happy motif flies
timelessly on the model.
Butch Wellmaker made a triumphant
return to the Jamboree and became the top
man at this year’s Scale Nats. His caller and
fiancée, Rosanne Palumbo, helped by
announcing the maneuvers to the judges as
Butch flew.
Rosanne and Butch planned to be married
shortly after the event. Congratulations to a
great couple.
Butch piloted a Sikorsky S-76C++. He is a
mechanic for this type of full-scale aircraft
and he knows the machine inside and out. The
model’s cockpit gauges are even backlit, as
they are on the full-scale S-76.
When it came time to fly the helicopter,
it was obvious that Butch had worked hard
on performing the maneuvers required for
the contest. It was his first time flying in
the Nats. What a finish for a rookie!
Rich Schultz brought a new Coast Guard
helicopter to the gathering this year. He is a
top mechanic for the Coast Guard and travels
around the world training other mechanics.
Rich’s helicopter had a special meaning
for him. It was modeled after a Sikorsky S-62,
which the Coast Guard renamed “HH-52.”
There is no kit manufactured for it so
Rich took a Sea King fuselage and
chopped it down. It has a scale, threeblade
head and an operating hoist that can
be l owere d and raised by re mo te con tr ol.
The HH-52 desi gnati on or igi na te d w ith
a full- sc al e heli co pter tha t flew re sc ue
m issi ons in Hawai i. I ts entire cre w wa s
los t during a s tormy mi ssion, so Rich bui lt
the helicop te r as a tribute.
T here w ere m an y ne w p ro ducts and
inn ovati ons a t this year ’s J ambo ree.
M an ufa ct ur ers wo rk hard to have ne w
m erchand ise ready to debu t at the e ve nt.
A few it ems stood out , inclu ding the
C om pass 6HV flyba rl es s h elicopt er. T his
12S ele ct ri c-power ed model was
impressi ve to wat ch , an d it ha s a uni que
hea d an d fra me structu re that warr an ts a
sec ond lo ok.
The 6HV ca n fly for ro ugh ly 7.5
m inute s o n a cha rg e while p erforming
r ad ica l 3 -D . The he ad des ign is di ffer en t
f ro m on ot he r heli co pters. Tw o h uge link s
c onnect the swash plate to the b lade g ri ps
wit h a uni que dog bon e-s tyle faste ne r.
The 6HV is light for a 12S-pow ered
m ach ine. I f yo u w an t the mos t radi cal
perf or mance av ai la ble, th is mo del may be
f or y ou.
Next on th e li st of cool i te ms was th e
new S pe ktrum DX8. T his ra dio has a lo t
of inno va tive f eatu res.
John Adam s, Ho ri zo n H obb y p ro duct
develo pm en t manager, expl ai ne d.
“ It i s t el emetry-equipped, w hich m eans
r eal -t im e data is se nt f ro m the helicop ter
back to the transmitter. While you are
flying your helicopter, the transmitter
will display the helicopter’s engine rpm,
temperature, and receiver pack voltage.
“You can set thresholds such as a
temperature not to exceed. Then if that
temperature is reached you can choose to
have the transmitter vibrate or an alarm to
sound (or both). The charger is built into
the radio. All it needs is a 12-volt power
supply (included) and it will charge itself.
“Even the polarity can be wrong and
the radio will still operate. It even
recognizes the difference between Li-
Poly batteries and NiMH (included with
the transmitter). There is an SD card
storage slot built in, and a 16MB card
comes installed.
“For the helicopter flyers, there are
two new functions called active governor
gain and active gyro gain. These gains are
controlled by toggle switches so that a
pilot can fine-tune either function while
the helicopter is in the air.
“This radio will sell for $429.99 and is
currently available.”
Thunder Tiger (now distributed by
Hobbico) has upped the ante in the 50-
class nitro-power marketplace with its
new Titan X50, which evolved from the
original Raptor 50. The X50 is a pound
lighter than the Raptor and uses carbon
main frames along with a revamped head
and swashplate design.
If you saw Colin Bell ripping his X50
around at the event, you will know what
kind of advanced machine this is. Right
now it comes in a belt-driven tail design;
an optional tube drive will be offered
later.
Miniature Aircraft/HeliWholesaler
debuted the long-anticipated Furion 6
electric helicopter. Bobby Watts won the
“One” contest with a flybarless version of
the model.
The simplicity of the design,
combined with time-proven Miniature
Aircraft quality components, makes for a
beast of an aircraft. After all, Beresford
“Beast” Davis was one of the designers
I got to fly a Furion 6 at the Jamboree
and all I can tell you is to hang on when
you give it juice. It will take you places
you haven’t been with a helicopter.
Gaui was showing off its new X5
model. This little electric helicopter
really rocked in the hands of JC Zankl
and Danny Szabo. It is powered by a 5S
3300 mAh battery that lasts for roughly 5
minutes and uses 500mm blades. It is all
carbon with a super-rigid frame design.
If you are looking for a wild 3-D
helicopter that is in between a 450 and a
600 size, the X5 is perfect.
Plan to attend this event next year. If you
are into RC helicopters, you should go to
at least one IRCHA Jamboree.
From the manicured, golf course-like
turf to sheer mayhem on the busy
flightline, this is not only the biggest and
most exciting helicopter event, but it is
also the most exciting gathering in all of
RC! MA
Sources:
IRCHA
http://ircha.org
Compass Model
+852-63258542
http://compassmodel.com
Horizon Hobby
(800) 338-4639
www.horizonhobby.com
Thunder Tiger:
Hobbico
(800) 637-7660
www.hobbico.com
HeliWholesaler
(877) 454-9757
www.heliwholesaler.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/12
Page Numbers: 126,127,128
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/12
Page Numbers: 126,127,128
126 MODEL AVIATION
THANK YOU for checking out the
helicopter column. MA’s International Radio
Controlled Helicopter Association (IRCHA)
Jamboree coverage continues here with
some more in-depth information from this
great event.
I was at the field at sunrise each day of
the gathering this year. If you get a chance
to attend the Jamboree, it is a surreal
experience to be out on the flightline at
sunrise.
The warm
summer mornings
generally produce a
dense fog that
covers all of the
low-lying areas.
Seeing helicopters
fly in and out of the
fog as the day’s
first light filters
through is fantastic.
The Scale pilots
were some of the
first to emerge in
the mornings.
Sublimely detailed
helicopters were
wheeled through
the morning dew
and prepared for
their competition
flights.
The Scale Nats
was combined with
the Jamboree this
year, and the
biggest names in
the modern Scale community were there.
Several passionate pilots competed with
machines that were modeled after fullscale
aircraft that they had either worked
on or flown in.
Bob Harris made a return visit to the
gathering with his Hiller OH-23
observation helicopter in the YO BO show
scheme. He flew in the full-scale version
during the Korean War.
One of this helicopter’s jobs was to fly and
record the flight paths of projectiles deployed
by the infantry on the ground. Coordinates
were radioed back to the ground and the
The IRCHA Jamboree—sunrise and beyond
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• 2010 Scale Nats
• Product releases at the
Jamboree
Bob Harris had his scratch-built OH-
23 observation helicopter at the
IRCHA Jamboree. He is 71 years old
and still flies like a kid. Who says you
have to grow up?
Butch Wellmaker and his caller/fiancée, Rosanne Palumbo, discuss
flight strategy. Butch won the Scale Nats with a Sikorsky S-76 that
is modeled after the full-scale helicopter he services for a living.
Sebastian of Compass Models flew this potent Compass 6HV. It uses a 12S Li-Poly
battery setup that produces enough power to light a small city.
The Gaui X5 made a great showing at the
Jamboree. It is smaller than a 600 size but
can perform every maneuver in the book.
A tube-tail drive helps with efficient
battery usage.
12sig4x_00MSTRPG.QXD 10/22/10 8:50 AM Page 126
infantries’ accuracy could be improved.
Bob scratch-built this helicopter. The
clown face was painted on the canopy of the
full-scale aircraft for an Armed Forces Day
event in 1964. Now the happy motif flies
timelessly on the model.
Butch Wellmaker made a triumphant
return to the Jamboree and became the top
man at this year’s Scale Nats. His caller and
fiancée, Rosanne Palumbo, helped by
announcing the maneuvers to the judges as
Butch flew.
Rosanne and Butch planned to be married
shortly after the event. Congratulations to a
great couple.
Butch piloted a Sikorsky S-76C++. He is a
mechanic for this type of full-scale aircraft
and he knows the machine inside and out. The
model’s cockpit gauges are even backlit, as
they are on the full-scale S-76.
When it came time to fly the helicopter,
it was obvious that Butch had worked hard
on performing the maneuvers required for
the contest. It was his first time flying in
the Nats. What a finish for a rookie!
Rich Schultz brought a new Coast Guard
helicopter to the gathering this year. He is a
top mechanic for the Coast Guard and travels
around the world training other mechanics.
Rich’s helicopter had a special meaning
for him. It was modeled after a Sikorsky S-62,
which the Coast Guard renamed “HH-52.”
There is no kit manufactured for it so
Rich took a Sea King fuselage and
chopped it down. It has a scale, threeblade
head and an operating hoist that can
be l owere d and raised by re mo te con tr ol.
The HH-52 desi gnati on or igi na te d w ith
a full- sc al e heli co pter tha t flew re sc ue
m issi ons in Hawai i. I ts entire cre w wa s
los t during a s tormy mi ssion, so Rich bui lt
the helicop te r as a tribute.
T here w ere m an y ne w p ro ducts and
inn ovati ons a t this year ’s J ambo ree.
M an ufa ct ur ers wo rk hard to have ne w
m erchand ise ready to debu t at the e ve nt.
A few it ems stood out , inclu ding the
C om pass 6HV flyba rl es s h elicopt er. T his
12S ele ct ri c-power ed model was
impressi ve to wat ch , an d it ha s a uni que
hea d an d fra me structu re that warr an ts a
sec ond lo ok.
The 6HV ca n fly for ro ugh ly 7.5
m inute s o n a cha rg e while p erforming
r ad ica l 3 -D . The he ad des ign is di ffer en t
f ro m on ot he r heli co pters. Tw o h uge link s
c onnect the swash plate to the b lade g ri ps
wit h a uni que dog bon e-s tyle faste ne r.
The 6HV is light for a 12S-pow ered
m ach ine. I f yo u w an t the mos t radi cal
perf or mance av ai la ble, th is mo del may be
f or y ou.
Next on th e li st of cool i te ms was th e
new S pe ktrum DX8. T his ra dio has a lo t
of inno va tive f eatu res.
John Adam s, Ho ri zo n H obb y p ro duct
develo pm en t manager, expl ai ne d.
“ It i s t el emetry-equipped, w hich m eans
r eal -t im e data is se nt f ro m the helicop ter
back to the transmitter. While you are
flying your helicopter, the transmitter
will display the helicopter’s engine rpm,
temperature, and receiver pack voltage.
“You can set thresholds such as a
temperature not to exceed. Then if that
temperature is reached you can choose to
have the transmitter vibrate or an alarm to
sound (or both). The charger is built into
the radio. All it needs is a 12-volt power
supply (included) and it will charge itself.
“Even the polarity can be wrong and
the radio will still operate. It even
recognizes the difference between Li-
Poly batteries and NiMH (included with
the transmitter). There is an SD card
storage slot built in, and a 16MB card
comes installed.
“For the helicopter flyers, there are
two new functions called active governor
gain and active gyro gain. These gains are
controlled by toggle switches so that a
pilot can fine-tune either function while
the helicopter is in the air.
“This radio will sell for $429.99 and is
currently available.”
Thunder Tiger (now distributed by
Hobbico) has upped the ante in the 50-
class nitro-power marketplace with its
new Titan X50, which evolved from the
original Raptor 50. The X50 is a pound
lighter than the Raptor and uses carbon
main frames along with a revamped head
and swashplate design.
If you saw Colin Bell ripping his X50
around at the event, you will know what
kind of advanced machine this is. Right
now it comes in a belt-driven tail design;
an optional tube drive will be offered
later.
Miniature Aircraft/HeliWholesaler
debuted the long-anticipated Furion 6
electric helicopter. Bobby Watts won the
“One” contest with a flybarless version of
the model.
The simplicity of the design,
combined with time-proven Miniature
Aircraft quality components, makes for a
beast of an aircraft. After all, Beresford
“Beast” Davis was one of the designers
I got to fly a Furion 6 at the Jamboree
and all I can tell you is to hang on when
you give it juice. It will take you places
you haven’t been with a helicopter.
Gaui was showing off its new X5
model. This little electric helicopter
really rocked in the hands of JC Zankl
and Danny Szabo. It is powered by a 5S
3300 mAh battery that lasts for roughly 5
minutes and uses 500mm blades. It is all
carbon with a super-rigid frame design.
If you are looking for a wild 3-D
helicopter that is in between a 450 and a
600 size, the X5 is perfect.
Plan to attend this event next year. If you
are into RC helicopters, you should go to
at least one IRCHA Jamboree.
From the manicured, golf course-like
turf to sheer mayhem on the busy
flightline, this is not only the biggest and
most exciting helicopter event, but it is
also the most exciting gathering in all of
RC! MA
Sources:
IRCHA
http://ircha.org
Compass Model
+852-63258542
http://compassmodel.com
Horizon Hobby
(800) 338-4639
www.horizonhobby.com
Thunder Tiger:
Hobbico
(800) 637-7660
www.hobbico.com
HeliWholesaler
(877) 454-9757
www.heliwholesaler.com
Edition: Model Aviation - 2010/12
Page Numbers: 126,127,128
126 MODEL AVIATION
THANK YOU for checking out the
helicopter column. MA’s International Radio
Controlled Helicopter Association (IRCHA)
Jamboree coverage continues here with
some more in-depth information from this
great event.
I was at the field at sunrise each day of
the gathering this year. If you get a chance
to attend the Jamboree, it is a surreal
experience to be out on the flightline at
sunrise.
The warm
summer mornings
generally produce a
dense fog that
covers all of the
low-lying areas.
Seeing helicopters
fly in and out of the
fog as the day’s
first light filters
through is fantastic.
The Scale pilots
were some of the
first to emerge in
the mornings.
Sublimely detailed
helicopters were
wheeled through
the morning dew
and prepared for
their competition
flights.
The Scale Nats
was combined with
the Jamboree this
year, and the
biggest names in
the modern Scale community were there.
Several passionate pilots competed with
machines that were modeled after fullscale
aircraft that they had either worked
on or flown in.
Bob Harris made a return visit to the
gathering with his Hiller OH-23
observation helicopter in the YO BO show
scheme. He flew in the full-scale version
during the Korean War.
One of this helicopter’s jobs was to fly and
record the flight paths of projectiles deployed
by the infantry on the ground. Coordinates
were radioed back to the ground and the
The IRCHA Jamboree—sunrise and beyond
[[email protected]]
Radio Control Helicopters Mark Fadely
Also included in this column:
• 2010 Scale Nats
• Product releases at the
Jamboree
Bob Harris had his scratch-built OH-
23 observation helicopter at the
IRCHA Jamboree. He is 71 years old
and still flies like a kid. Who says you
have to grow up?
Butch Wellmaker and his caller/fiancée, Rosanne Palumbo, discuss
flight strategy. Butch won the Scale Nats with a Sikorsky S-76 that
is modeled after the full-scale helicopter he services for a living.
Sebastian of Compass Models flew this potent Compass 6HV. It uses a 12S Li-Poly
battery setup that produces enough power to light a small city.
The Gaui X5 made a great showing at the
Jamboree. It is smaller than a 600 size but
can perform every maneuver in the book.
A tube-tail drive helps with efficient
battery usage.
12sig4x_00MSTRPG.QXD 10/22/10 8:50 AM Page 126
infantries’ accuracy could be improved.
Bob scratch-built this helicopter. The
clown face was painted on the canopy of the
full-scale aircraft for an Armed Forces Day
event in 1964. Now the happy motif flies
timelessly on the model.
Butch Wellmaker made a triumphant
return to the Jamboree and became the top
man at this year’s Scale Nats. His caller and
fiancée, Rosanne Palumbo, helped by
announcing the maneuvers to the judges as
Butch flew.
Rosanne and Butch planned to be married
shortly after the event. Congratulations to a
great couple.
Butch piloted a Sikorsky S-76C++. He is a
mechanic for this type of full-scale aircraft
and he knows the machine inside and out. The
model’s cockpit gauges are even backlit, as
they are on the full-scale S-76.
When it came time to fly the helicopter,
it was obvious that Butch had worked hard
on performing the maneuvers required for
the contest. It was his first time flying in
the Nats. What a finish for a rookie!
Rich Schultz brought a new Coast Guard
helicopter to the gathering this year. He is a
top mechanic for the Coast Guard and travels
around the world training other mechanics.
Rich’s helicopter had a special meaning
for him. It was modeled after a Sikorsky S-62,
which the Coast Guard renamed “HH-52.”
There is no kit manufactured for it so
Rich took a Sea King fuselage and
chopped it down. It has a scale, threeblade
head and an operating hoist that can
be l owere d and raised by re mo te con tr ol.
The HH-52 desi gnati on or igi na te d w ith
a full- sc al e heli co pter tha t flew re sc ue
m issi ons in Hawai i. I ts entire cre w wa s
los t during a s tormy mi ssion, so Rich bui lt
the helicop te r as a tribute.
T here w ere m an y ne w p ro ducts and
inn ovati ons a t this year ’s J ambo ree.
M an ufa ct ur ers wo rk hard to have ne w
m erchand ise ready to debu t at the e ve nt.
A few it ems stood out , inclu ding the
C om pass 6HV flyba rl es s h elicopt er. T his
12S ele ct ri c-power ed model was
impressi ve to wat ch , an d it ha s a uni que
hea d an d fra me structu re that warr an ts a
sec ond lo ok.
The 6HV ca n fly for ro ugh ly 7.5
m inute s o n a cha rg e while p erforming
r ad ica l 3 -D . The he ad des ign is di ffer en t
f ro m on ot he r heli co pters. Tw o h uge link s
c onnect the swash plate to the b lade g ri ps
wit h a uni que dog bon e-s tyle faste ne r.
The 6HV is light for a 12S-pow ered
m ach ine. I f yo u w an t the mos t radi cal
perf or mance av ai la ble, th is mo del may be
f or y ou.
Next on th e li st of cool i te ms was th e
new S pe ktrum DX8. T his ra dio has a lo t
of inno va tive f eatu res.
John Adam s, Ho ri zo n H obb y p ro duct
develo pm en t manager, expl ai ne d.
“ It i s t el emetry-equipped, w hich m eans
r eal -t im e data is se nt f ro m the helicop ter
back to the transmitter. While you are
flying your helicopter, the transmitter
will display the helicopter’s engine rpm,
temperature, and receiver pack voltage.
“You can set thresholds such as a
temperature not to exceed. Then if that
temperature is reached you can choose to
have the transmitter vibrate or an alarm to
sound (or both). The charger is built into
the radio. All it needs is a 12-volt power
supply (included) and it will charge itself.
“Even the polarity can be wrong and
the radio will still operate. It even
recognizes the difference between Li-
Poly batteries and NiMH (included with
the transmitter). There is an SD card
storage slot built in, and a 16MB card
comes installed.
“For the helicopter flyers, there are
two new functions called active governor
gain and active gyro gain. These gains are
controlled by toggle switches so that a
pilot can fine-tune either function while
the helicopter is in the air.
“This radio will sell for $429.99 and is
currently available.”
Thunder Tiger (now distributed by
Hobbico) has upped the ante in the 50-
class nitro-power marketplace with its
new Titan X50, which evolved from the
original Raptor 50. The X50 is a pound
lighter than the Raptor and uses carbon
main frames along with a revamped head
and swashplate design.
If you saw Colin Bell ripping his X50
around at the event, you will know what
kind of advanced machine this is. Right
now it comes in a belt-driven tail design;
an optional tube drive will be offered
later.
Miniature Aircraft/HeliWholesaler
debuted the long-anticipated Furion 6
electric helicopter. Bobby Watts won the
“One” contest with a flybarless version of
the model.
The simplicity of the design,
combined with time-proven Miniature
Aircraft quality components, makes for a
beast of an aircraft. After all, Beresford
“Beast” Davis was one of the designers
I got to fly a Furion 6 at the Jamboree
and all I can tell you is to hang on when
you give it juice. It will take you places
you haven’t been with a helicopter.
Gaui was showing off its new X5
model. This little electric helicopter
really rocked in the hands of JC Zankl
and Danny Szabo. It is powered by a 5S
3300 mAh battery that lasts for roughly 5
minutes and uses 500mm blades. It is all
carbon with a super-rigid frame design.
If you are looking for a wild 3-D
helicopter that is in between a 450 and a
600 size, the X5 is perfect.
Plan to attend this event next year. If you
are into RC helicopters, you should go to
at least one IRCHA Jamboree.
From the manicured, golf course-like
turf to sheer mayhem on the busy
flightline, this is not only the biggest and
most exciting helicopter event, but it is
also the most exciting gathering in all of
RC! MA
Sources:
IRCHA
http://ircha.org
Compass Model
+852-63258542
http://compassmodel.com
Horizon Hobby
(800) 338-4639
www.horizonhobby.com
Thunder Tiger:
Hobbico
(800) 637-7660
www.hobbico.com
HeliWholesaler
(877) 454-9757
www.heliwholesaler.com
